World Environment Day: go smart, go green with Gulzar's Green Poems

Thursday is World Environment Day and it’s time to make green look cool. The country is up for having fun with everything eco-friendly — from responsible and ecologically intelligent luxury and people coming together for sapling plantation, to ‘green’ poetry to commemorate the day. Apart from the desi celebrations, the world is geared up for doing their bit and making a happy noise about the environment.

While supporters have been invited by the United Nations Environment Programme to take the WED (World Environment Day) Challenge at New York’s Times Square and London’s Piccadilly Circus, Goodwill Ambassadors — supermodel Gisele Bündchen, Hollywood actors Don Cheadle and Ian Somerhalder, and footballer Yaya Touré are the faces of the green celebrations this time around. If you too plan to give back to the environment today, here’s some inspiration.

Book LaunchOn the occasion of World Environment Day, veteran poet Gulzar celebrates his innate connection with nature, with the launch of his book, Green Poems. The lyricist is renowned for his inimitable way of seeing things, his witty expressions and his quirky turns of phrase. All these creative talents come into play in delightful, unexpected ways in his new bilingual ­collection book. The launch is being organised by the Patna Literature Festival in collaboration with the Environment & Forest Department, Government of Bihar.

Another book to be launched today is Green Wars by Bahar Dutt. Join the author in a ­discussion over development ­conflicting with environment at 7.30 pm at Mantra, The Park, 15, Parliament Street.

Art SoireeAqua aegis, an art exhibition presented by gallerist Jitendra Padam, is on at Gallery Sree Arts, Gurgaon, from June 5 - 20, 2014. The aim is to spread the message of water preservation through paintings and photography by various artists.

A Green WalkDo your bit for the environment as you take part in the Responsible Luxury Experience with ITC Maurya, Chanakyapuri. Associates and guests of the hotel will take a walk to green ridge today, which is opposite to the hotel, where they will plant saplings to increase the green cover. The hotel has also ­initiated the PET Bottle ­disposal process. The yarn from recycled Pet waste will undergo the process of weaving to make denims. These green pairs of jeans will be shared with the hotel’s staff and NGOs.

Did You Know?The World Environment Day was established by the United Nations General Assembly in 1972. Every year, the ­celebrations focus on a theme and is officially hosted by a country. This year, the host country is Barbados, which will raise awareness against adverse impacts of climate change